Device and system to reduce traumatic brain injury

• US 8,961,440 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chiming Huang
• Original Assignee: Chiming Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Chiming
• Primary Examiner(s): Towa, Rene
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABOUELELA, MAY A
• Application Number:
  US14/198,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/587, 600/595, 602/17, 602/18, 602/19, 128/97.1, 128/857, 128/866, 482/10
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0473 Neck restraints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles

Abstract

A device for reducing traumatic brain injury comprises a first sensor, a first linkage element, and a processing element. The first sensor is coupled to a head component and configured to measure an acceleration of a user'"'"'s head as a result of an impact on the head component and to generate corresponding first sensor measurements. The first linkage element is configured to connect the head component to a body component and is able to switch between a first state in which it is relatively flexible and a second state in which it is relatively rigid. The first linkage element is switched from its first state to its second state by a locking signal. The processing element is configured to receive the first sensor measurements and to generate the locking signal when a value of the first sensor measurements is greater than or equal to an injury level.

Claims

1. A device for reducing traumatic brain injury, the device comprising:

a first sensor coupled to a head component configured to measure an acceleration of a user'"'"'s head as a result of an impact on the head component and to generate first sensor measurements;

a first linkage element configured to connect the head component to a body component, the first linkage element switchable between a first state in which it is relatively flexible and a second state in which it is relatively rigid based upon a locking signal, wherein the first linkage element further includes a first anchor configured to rigidly couple to the head component, a second anchor configured to rigidly couple to the body component, a first end link coupled to the first anchor and configured to rotate and pivot with respect to the first anchor, a second end link coupled to the second anchor and configured to rotate, and pivot with respect to the second anchor, and a middle link coupled to the first anchor and the second anchor and configured to rotate and pivot with respect to the first and the second anchor; and

a processing element configured to receive the first sensor measurements and to generate the locking signal when a value of the first sensor measurements is greater than or equal to an injury level.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth configured to measure the acceleration of the user'"'"'s head as a result of an impact on the head component and to generate second sensor measurements such that the processing element generates the locking signal when a value of either the first sensor measurements or the second sensor measurements is greater than or equal to the injury level.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein

the first end link and the second end link each include a first ball component and a spaced apart second ball component each rigidly connected to an opposing end of a shaft positioned therebetween, and

the middle link includes a first socket and a spaced second socket each rigidly connected to an opposing end of a shaft positioned therebetween,

the first socket configured to retain the first ball component of the first end link and the second socket configured to retain the first ball component of the second end link.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first anchor includes an anchor socket configured to retain the second ball component of the first end link and the second anchor includes an anchor socket configured to retain the second ball component of the second end link.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor each include a locking element configured to stop the motion of the first end link and the second end link when the processing element generates the locking signal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each locking element includes an electromagnet such that

the electromagnet of the first anchor includes electrical conductors that surround at least a portion of the associated anchor socket and generate a magnetic field configured to attract the second ball component of the first end link and stop the motion thereof when the processing element generates the locking signal, and

the electromagnet of the second anchor includes electrical conductors that surround at least a portion of the associated anchor socket and generate a magnetic field configured to attract the second ball component of the second end link and stop the motion thereof when the processing element generates the locking signal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first end link of the first linkage element is configured to couple to a rear central base of the head component and the second end link is configured to couple to a rear upper portion near a central opening of the body component.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first end link of the first linkage element is configured to couple to a base on the left side of the head component and the second end link is configured to couple to a left upper portion near a central opening of the body component, the device further comprising

a second linkage element including a first end link configured to couple to the base on the right side of the head component and a second end link configured to couple to a right upper portion near the central opening of the body component, and

a third linkage element including a first end link configured to couple to the rear central base of the head component and a second end link configured to couple to a rear upper portion near the central opening of the body component.

9. A system for reducing traumatic brain injury, the system comprising:

a head component configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a body component configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s body;

a first sensor coupled to the head component configured to measure an acceleration of the user'"'"'s head as a result of an impact on the head component and to generate first sensor measurements;

a first linkage element configured to connect the head component to a body component, the first linkage element switchable between a first state in which it is relatively flexible and a second state in which it is relatively rigid based upon a locking signal, wherein the first linkage element further includes a first anchor configured to rigidly couple to the head component, a second anchor configured to rigidly couple to the body component, a first end link coupled to the first anchor and configured to rotate and pivot with respect to the first anchor, a second end link coupled to the second anchor and configured to rotate and pivot with respect to the second anchor, and a middle link coupled to the first anchor and the second anchor and configured to rotate and pivot with respect to the first and the second anchor; and

a processing element configured to receive the first sensor measurements and to generate the locking signal when a value of the first sensor measurements is greater than or equal to an injury level.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the head component contacts at least a portion of the sides, the rear, and the top of the user'"'"'s head and the body component is worn at least over the shoulders of the user.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second sensor positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth configured to measure the acceleration of the user'"'"'s head as a result of an impact on the head component and to generate second sensor measurements such that the processing element generates the locking signal when a value of either the first sensor measurements or the second sensor measurements is greater than or equal to the injury level.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein

the first end link and the second end link each include a first ball component and a spaced apart second ball component each rigidly connected to an opposing end of a shaft positioned therebetween, and

the middle link includes a first socket and a spaced second socket each rigidly connected to an opposing end of a shaft positioned therebetween,

the first socket configured to retain the first ball component of the first end link and the second socket configured to retain the first ball component of the second end link.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first anchor includes an anchor socket configured to retain the second ball component of the first end link and the second anchor includes an anchor socket configured to retain the second ball component of the second end link, and wherein the first anchor and the second anchor each include a locking element configured to stop the motion of the first end link and the second end link when the processing element generates the locking signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each locking element includes an electromagnet such that

the electromagnet of the first anchor includes electrical conductors that surround at least a portion of the associated anchor socket and generate a magnetic field configured to attract the second ball component of the first end link and stop the motion thereof when the processing element generates the locking signal, and

the electromagnet of the second anchor includes electrical conductors that surround at least a portion of the associated anchor socket and generate a magnetic field configured to attract the second ball component of the second end link and stop the motion thereof when the processing element generates the locking signal.